Dear Teacher Peggy Gisler And Marge Eberts

DEAR TEACHER PEGGY GISLER AND MARGE EBERTS

October 25, 2005|DEAR TEACHER PEGGY GISLER AND MARGE EBERTS

Dear Teacher: We have a very bright and articulate daughter in sixth grade who just doesn't care any more about getting A's and B's. She always scores in the top 25 percent of her age group in reading and math. Even with all this ability, most of her grades are now C's; she used to get B's in elementary school without too much effort.

We have tried all kinds of positive reinforcement, from money to videos. Nothing works! Do you have any suggestions about how things can be turned around? -- Disappointed Parents

Dear Parents: School definitely changes when children enter sixth grade. The academic load not only increases but also gets more difficult. It is not unusual for children who have done well in elementary school to face difficulties. Many simply do not know how to handle the work required of them, especially if they have previously breezed through school.

Suddenly, they have a history project due on Thursday and a math test the same day and no real idea about how to budget their time. Most middle-schoolers, after some initial difficulties, catch on to how to handle their workload. Some don't, and they give up when the going gets tough.

If her basic skills are satisfactory, work on teaching her how to tackle difficult assignments. Before beginning an assignment, have her get a handle on it by looking over similar work in her textbook or in class notes. Also, consider having her take a study-skills course.

Teach her to work by insisting that she study for 60 minutes every school night in a place where you can see that she is working. If she has no assignments, the time can be devoted to review.

Dear Teacher: What should parents know about the No Child Left Behind Act? -- Need to Know

Dear Need to Know: The purpose of this law is to ensure all children receive a quality education. The major provision that parents should know about is that if their children's school does not meet certain standards for two years, they may have the opportunity to transfer them to another public school or for their children to receive extra help such as tutoring. For more information, visit www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/parents.html.

Write to Dear Teacher at Box 395, Carmel, IN 46082-0395; or e-mail dearteacher@excite.com.